Wichita State News: Mischttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/
en-us2015 Wichita State University. All rights reserved.WSU Newstaewook.kang@wichita.edu (Taewook Kang)joe.kleinsasser@wichita.edu (Joe Kleinsasser)Matson breaks down walls in classroom, instructs students as deanFri, 6 Mar 2015 08:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2761
Ronald Matson, dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, lectures in his Men and Masculinity class. Matson has taught the class at WSU for 35 years, and edited the textbook used in the class.
File

It's an unusual sight of a modern classroom -- the dean of the largest college at a university leading a discussion among more than 300 students. But it takes place twice a week at Wichita State.

"I hope that when you're 70 years old, a bunch of 20-year-olds want to listen to what you have to say, because I find that incredibly humbling and incredibly exciting," said Ronald Matson, dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

At 9:32 a.m. sharp – he always gives students an extra two minutes to get situated in their seats – Matson begins instructing his Men and Masculinities class. Those 300 students fall silent and their attention turns to the front of the room for 75 minutes.

It's a dynamic that former Graduate Teaching Assistant Jennifer Bowers explained as "amazing."

"How he breaks down the walls in a classroom is just fascinating," Bowers said. "And he keeps their attention … He has a presence in there. It never feels like that big of a class. The things he has to say, you never get bored listening."

Perhaps that's because Matson wrote the book – literally and figuratively – on men's studies at WSU. The Men and Masculinities course presents the sociological perspectives on contemporary masculinities on topics ranging from masculine socialization to the role of gender in work, relationships, media and family. Matson edited the text book used in the class.

Matson began teaching the course 35 years ago. He said the course owes its existence to women's studies movement.

"We've been so informed by all the women's studies scholars along the way that it's enabled me to be able to talk about men and gender in a much more informed way," Matson said.

In his time at Wichita State, Matson estimated that he's seen about 30,000 to 35,000 students enrolled in his classes. Despite the large class, Matson's philosophy toward teaching is that it's "personal business." Respect, he said, is fundamental to his classroom setting.

"I want my students to feel as though I'm talking to them personally," he said. "I want it to be one-on-one conversation despite there being 300 people in the room. I hope students realize that I respect them – who they are, what they believe in."

But as the dean of the very college that offers the class, Matson's role is considered extraordinary by his peers and colleagues.

"It isn't a rarity for deans to teach, but Dr. Matson does teach a rather large class, … which has over 200 students," Professor of Psychology Rhonda Lewis said. "The students love that class. He is a master teacher. I never want my SPTE's (Student Perception of Teaching Effectiveness) scores to be compared to him because he is so good."

With the help of his GTAs and the support of the sociology department, Matson is able to continue teaching one course a semester (the fall course is Introduction to Sociology).

Courses come and go on a college campus, but Men and Masculinities has stuck around.

Although gender studies has seen many changes in the past three decades since Matson started instructing the course, he says it still has important lessons for his students.

"When students take this class, they see its relevance in their workplace, in their relationships, in their families, in religion," he said. "Gender is ubiquitous. It's universal. It's everywhere."

And the students respond. At the end of the semester, Bowers graded students' papers, reflecting on the course and what they learned. The common theme, she said, is happiness.

"So many people were struggling, and hearing someone tell them it's not a degree, it's not in your job, it's in you," Bowers said. "You're not going to find happiness out there in the world; it's in you. You have to be happy."

The classroom is a creative space, and Matson says he feeds off the interaction just as much as the students do.

"I want to be in the here and now," he said. "When I walk in that classroom, anything else that's going on in my life is left behind, and anything else I'm thinking about for tomorrow is of little concern."

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Former student Jeff Blackman establishes fellowship honoring WSU dean Ron MatsonFri, 6 Mar 2015 08:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2762
When Jeff Blackman heard the news that Ron Matson recently was named dean of the Wichita State University Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences after serving as interim dean for two years, he decided the time was right to pay tribute to Matson in a special way.

Jeff Blackman

Blackman, one of Matson's sociology students 25 years ago, is saying thank you by establishing a fellowship in Matson's name.

"My experience at Wichita State was largely driven by Ron's leadership in the sociology department," Blackman says. "His impact on me as a young student shaped the direction of my life, not to mention gave me a skill set that has been very important to my career."

Blackman's donation will fund the Ron Matson Fellowship, targeted at graduate students who need financial assistance to complete their studies. Blackman hopes that others who hold Matson in the same high esteem will contribute to the fellowship.

Matson, who was chair of the sociology department from 1999 to 2012, said he cried when he learned of Blackman's act.

Ron Matson

"I felt so humbled and so honored by that generosity," he says. "Jeff is one of those people whose life is guided by profound values. He is someone who makes decisions almost always for the benefit of other people."

Blackman, who lives in Dallas, recently founded a company called Bedford Lodging that develops hotels. He also has minority interest in a hotel management company called Pillar Hotels and Resorts. Prior, Blackman was an employee for Wichita hotel developer Jack DeBoer, then moved to Dallas in 2001 to work for Marriott hotels before starting his own company two years ago.

Wichita State has played a big role in his life and in his family's life, Blackman says. His father, Doug Blackman, has served Shocker athletics for many years as a team optometrist.

Wichita State University's Rhatigan Student Center (RSC) is launching a fundraising initiative to help make a difference in the fight against brain cancer.

Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 18-May 17, the RSC will raise money for the Dragon Master Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to networking with hospitals, medical schools and other groups to change the way cancer research is conducted.

During the RSC's involvement, Wichita State students, staff and community members can help raise funds by recycling old hair care, skin care and cosmetics packaging. Bins will be located at the WSU University Bookstore, RSC Info Desk, Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes, Heskett Center, Fairmount Towers, Shocker Hall and Greek houses, and contributed items will be recycled to generate funds for the foundation.

This isn't the first time Wichita State has partnered with the Dragon Master Foundation. On Oct. 9, the University Bookstore sponsored the foundation for National Student Day by having students snap photos of themselves doing volunteer work.

The Dragon Master Foundation was started by a Wichita couple, Richard Haddock, who graduated from WSU in 1981 with a degree in business studies, and Amanda Haddock, in honor of her 16-year-old son, David Pearson.

Pearson was diagnosed with "glioblastoma multiforme" brain cancer in 2010. He underwent treatment in four hospitals and a clinical trial, receiving support from friends, family and celebrities before losing his battle 20 months later.

Hoping to turn their tragedy into something positive and help solve the riddle of cancer, Pearson's mother and stepfather used her passion for volunteering and his expertise in computers to launch the Dragon Master Foundation with the goal of promoting collaboration in cancer research. To do that, they advocate the use of big data – employing computers to analyze huge volumes of complete genomic data to find patterns and, hopefully, the path to a cure.

The Dragon Master Foundation is aligned with a number of important cancer research centers, including the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Childhood Brain Tumor and Tissue Consortium, Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital, the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Children's Hospital of Seattle.

Fundraising for the RSC event will be done through the Beauty Brigade recycling program.

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WSU graduate, undergraduate students present research in Topeka, Feb. 11-12Mon, 9 Feb 2015 09:22:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2735
This week, five undergraduate and 10 graduate students from Wichita State University will travel to the state capitol to present a wide range of research studies
File

On Feb. 11-12, five undergraduate and 10 graduate students from Wichita State University will travel to the state capitol to present a wide range of research studies, covering topics from advances in health care to drilling efficiency.

Undergraduate students will present from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, on the first floor of the Rotunda in the Capitol Building in Topeka. Master's and doctorate students will present from 10 a.m.-noon Thursday, Feb. 12, on the second floor of the Rotunda. The event is free and open to the public.

Kimberly Engber

"This year, WSU is facilitating events that bring together students from across Kansas," said Kimberly Engber, dean of the WSU Honors College. "We are proud to carry on a tradition of supporting excellent undergraduate research and creative activities and sharing students' enthusiasm with legislators."

The WSU students will share their findings not only with legislators, but with the Kansas Board of Regents, industry representatives and other attendees. Students from other Board of Regents institutions in Kansas will also participate at the summit.

"The Graduate School is proud to be a part of this summit which showcases WSU graduate students' innovative research that is important to the economic advancement of the state and the well-being of Kansans," said Kerry Wilks, associate dean of the Graduate School.

As part of its mission to engage the community, Wichita State University is offering 45 non-credit classes this semester which are open to the public. Those who sign up will have the opportunity to learn from experts without the worry of examinations and homework.

Classes meet at the WSU Metropolitan Complex and West and South Campuses. Convenient doorside parking is available at each facility.

To view the complete catalog of offerings visit wichita.edu/noncredit. For more information, call (316) 978-3731.

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Student organizations add an extra dimension to the WSU experienceTue, 27 Jan 2015 11:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2725
WSU offers students a variety of opportunities to get involved and enhance their college experience with over 200 official student organizations.
File

For many students at Wichita State University, college life is an experience unlike anything that's challenged them before. It's a time of growth, excitement and independence, but being away from family and friends can also leave students without their support system.

Student Involvement offers a way for students to overcome this challenge by creating opportunities to have fun and get involved.

The mission of Student Involvement is to facilitate co-curricular experiences that engage and develop WSU students, building a vibrant campus culture that enhances the college experience.

Getting involved isn't just for students away from home for the first time. Jeffrey Nilsen, coordinator of student organizations at Student Involvement, says that taking an active role in campus life by participating in extracurricular activities is something every student should do.

"Being involved outside the classroom is such an important part of higher education," Nilsen said. "Participating in extracurricular activities is just as important as maintaining good grades. Not only is student involvement a way to make lifelong friends and gain new experiences, it's something employers really want to see."

Student Organizations

Wichita State currently has 220 official student organizations; groups that create opportunities for students to develop leadership and communication skills, demonstrate commitment to being involved citizens, work with people from diverse backgrounds and develop a stronger connection to the university.

Graduate student Steven Ordaz got involved during his first semester at WSU, and has grown as a student leader. He came to Wichita State after earning his undergraduate degree in business administration and information systems from the University of Texas, San Antonio. He is a member of the Student Activities Council and the Community Service Board, and is president of the WSU Harry Potter Alliance.

The process of becoming socially involved in college is simple, Ordaz explained. Students should start by investigating opportunities in their environment, he suggested, and put themselves out there to see what's a good fit. If students stick with it, they'll make friends and begin to relate to the group's vision.

"It's an ongoing process where you learn and participate," Ordaz said, "and before long you're one of them. That's how you come to belong. Then it becomes a cycle – you turn around and reach out to include others."

At a glance, not all student groups appeal to all students, but the diversity among them mirrors the diversity of the student body. There's a good chance that every student can find one or more organizations that appeal to them – and if not, starting a new one is always an option. A few of them include:

The Nerd Union, a club for fans of anime, video games and other forms of pop culture that prides itself on providing a niche where those who feel out of place can go to connect with peers.

The WSU parkour and Freerunning Club, a group that trains the mind and body to become adaptive to any situation or obstacle, be it the stress of finals or learning to scale a 10-foot wall.

Being involved is more than a way for students to make friends and memories. Student organizations at Wichita State provide a safety net to increase students' success and satisfaction with their college experience. They're an invaluable part of being a Shocker.

To find out more about Student Involvement or student organizations available on campus, visit wichita.edu/involvement.

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WSU GEAR UP receives more than $10 million in grants to serve USD 259Wed, 7 Jan 2015 14:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2708
Wichita State University was recently awarded two new GEAR UP grant awards through the Department of Education to fund programs benefitting select USD 259 middle and high schools. Both grants provide $740,000 a year for seven years.

Riccardo Harris

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federal college access and retention program. There are three GEAR UP programs at Wichita State, each designed to prepare students academically, socially and financially to enter and complete college.

The new funding will support two of the GEAR UP programs at WSU in partnership with Wichita Public Schools: North Wichita GEAR UP, led by Riccardo Harris, executive director, and South Wichita GEAR UP, led by Vic Chavez, executive director.

Vic Chavez

Chavez says both GEAR UP programs will provide opportunity and college access services to four USD 259 high schools – North, West, South and Southeast – and nine associated middle schools.

"Riccardo Harris and I are eager to give back some of what we've been given in service of the students, parents and staff of our target schools," he said.

Both GEAR UP programs employ an intensive, hands-on effort to transform youth from disadvantaged backgrounds – low-income households, first-generation students and students with disabilities – into college success stories. They start with kids in middle school, following 7th graders through high school and their first year of college. The goal is to change the expectations of students and their parents, teaching personal resilience and changing the cultures of their schools to gear them up for college.

GEAR UP staff work with teachers and administrators as well as parents and students, offering Saturday workshops, summer programs, college preparation activities, campus visits, cultural enrichment activities, evening workshops for parents, professional development opportunities for school personnel and other activities.

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Wichita State announces preference to veterans in application processMon, 10 Nov 2014 08:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2665
Sarah Sell, Student Success specialist and co-chair of the Veterans Advisory Board at Wichita State, accepts a donation of military flags from Ron Vangas, director of the American Legion Riders from Post 136, Mulvane, Kan. The flags have been used to decorate WSU's new Military and Veteran Student Center.
Aaron Lair

Wichita State University has initiated a new outreach program -- Veterans Preference in the Application Process -- in an effort to attract more veterans of military service to work for the university. Veterans Preference reflects Wichita State's recognition of the unique talents, skills and experiences that former service personnel offer.

"The rationale for recruiting more veterans is the unique skill sets and personal characteristics they bring to the university," said Lloyd Hatfield, WSU Human Resource generalist. "Proven leadership skills; accelerated learning curve; teamwork; diversity and inclusion; integrity; performance under pressure; and a global mindset."

WSU President John Bardo approved the new policy effective Sept. 8, making it easier for veterans to be considered for university employment.

Veterans Preference was drafted for applicants who meet program qualifications as well as the minimum qualifications of the position applied for, and who score in the top 25 percent of the applicant pool. Applicants who meet these qualifications will be given preferential consideration for employment at Wichita State, and are guaranteed an interview for that position.

The new policy complies with the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and with existing federal laws that requires employers to monitor and report on efforts to hire veterans. The existing Kansas statute addressing veterans preference is only applicable to civil service personnel, leaving formerly classified staff at Wichita State outside these provisions. By adopting the new policy, which extends preference to all categories of employment at the university, WSU is taking the lead in its outreach towards veterans.

The WSU Veterans Preference policy includes mechanisms that enable the university to continually monitor and evaluate employment practices to meet the federal requirements, as well as WSU's institutional interest in attracting the talent and experience that is unique to military veterans.

Veterans preference programs have been in effect in some form since World War II to give workers who were displaced as a result of military service the opportunity to reintegrate into the civilian workforce. The new Wichita State policy can be found in the WSU Policies and Procedures Manual: 3.46 / Veterans Preference in the Application Process.

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WSU engineering students use zombies to teach math modelingTue, 28 Oct 2014 12:30:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2648
Four WSU engineering students challenge students at Maize South High School to use math to figure out how to survive a zombie attack.
Courtesy

Students at local high schools are being challenged by a team of Wichita State University engineering students to come up with a plan to survive a zombie attack. The presentation is part of an activity designed to teach the value of math modeling in solving complex problems with limited resources.

The zombie scenario uses a complex formula where students are given fixed rates for time needed to prepare and store food, water and bullets necessary for survival, as well as expected kill rates for shooting zombies and rate of zombie encroachment over time. (As every horror aficionado knows, zombies attack at an exponentially increasing rate.)

The math model is embedded in a spreadsheet that calculates days of survival based on how much time one chooses to allocate to gathering food, water or bullets. Those who calculate wrong risk dying from dehydration, starvation or zombie attack.

"The presentation really drives home the point that before you spend any time preparing food, water or bullets, you would really be well-served to spend a few minutes doing some math first," said Polly Basore, K-12 outreach coordinator for the College of Engineering.

Positive feedback

The presentation is put on by WSU engineering students working for the College of Engineering's program known as SEEDS (Science and Engineering Education Development for Students). The SEEDS program presents hands-on science activities designed to foster an interest in engineering through Saturday workshops, after-school programs, classroom visits, field trips and special events, such as school science nights and career days. During the 2013-14 academic year, SEEDS hosted 109 events involving approximately 3,000 children.

The primary audience for SEEDS programs is middle school, but the Zombie Math Modeling activity is part of a new push to reach out to high school students in advanced math and science classes. So far, the Zombie Math Modeling activity has been presented to students at North, Northeast, Heights, Maize South and Bishop Carroll high schools.

"I thought it went great," said Eric Weber, a Bishop Carroll science teacher who had the WSU students present to his freshmen classes last week. "My classes seemed to enjoy themselves, and many of them displayed a pretty impressive ability to apply math to the problem. I received nothing but positive feedback after (the WSU students) left."

Students helping students

WSU engineering students hired to work for SEEDS are chosen for their ability to serve as role models to children who may be unfamiliar with what it means to be an engineer. WSU students participating in the zombie activity at Bishop Carroll included Emilio Rocha (mechanical engineering), Sanjuana Martinez (biomedical engineering), Amber Fischer (aerospace engineering) and Austin White (computer engineering).

The math model used in the activity was developed last year by Josue Palacios, a former SEEDS employee who received bachelor's degree in bioengineering in May and is now pursuing a doctorate at Georgia Tech. Palacios uses complex math models in his research to predict the durability of biomedical implants.

The College of Engineering's K-12 Outreach programs are supported by corporate donors and the state through the University Engineering Initiative Act, passed in 2011 as part of an effort to boost the Kansas economy by addressing a workforce shortage of engineering graduates.

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Author of 'Reading Lolita in Tehran' to speak at Wichita State's CAC TheaterWed, 15 Oct 2014 08:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2631
Wichita State University will host a talk about the power of fiction in forging and sustaining a democracy by No. 1 New York Times best-selling author Azar Nafisi at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, at the CAC Theater. The event is sponsored by Watermark Books and Cafe.

Nafisi became famous 10 years ago with the debut of her million-copy best-seller, "Reading Lolita in Tehran," which told the story of how, against a backdrop of morality squads and executions, she taught American literature to students in Iran. Her work revealed how fiction can serve as a vital antidote to ideology in a totalitarian society.

In her follow-up book, Nafisi has crafted an impassioned tribute to the equally vital role of fiction in a democratic society, urging readers to reject the ideological rigidity that poisons America's political discourse in favor of a more generous view of citizenship. The author recounts how she first discovered America and its fictional landscape as a young girl in Tehran, and reminds us of the vital role fiction and imagination played in the lives of the founding fathers. Her commentary tackles everything from the crisis in the humanities to a devastating critique of the new Common Core curriculum.

Nafisi is a visiting professor and director of the Dialogue Project at the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University. She has taught Western literature at the University of Tehran, the Free Islamic University and the University of Allameh Tabatabai in Iran, and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The New Republic, and has appeared on countless radio and television programs.

Nafisi's stop is part of her tour of the U.S., which includes upcoming interviews with all the major media. Tickets for the event are $32, which includes a copy of her new book, "The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books."

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Mentorship program to network business students, professionalsTue, 7 Oct 2014 11:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2619
Ten Wichita State business students will attend the Wichita Area Economic Outlook Conference on Oct. 9 with mentors through the Wichita Area Outlook Team Link to Learn program, which pairs the students with some of the area's business professionals.
Wichita State University

A group of Wichita State University business students will get the unique experience this week to apply learning from the classroom to current, real-world economics.

This is made possible through a new mentorship program organized by the Wichita Area Outlook Team (WAOT), called "WAOT Link to Learn," in which 10 W. Frank Barton School of Business students are paired with some of the area's top business leaders to attend the Wichita Area Economic Outlook Conference on Oct. 9.

"We really want to engage students in a different way," said Jeremy Hill, director of the business school's Center for Economic Development and Business Research, the group that organizes the conference each year. "We want them to have those applied-learning experiences and get students something they wouldn't have in their normal class experience."

The conference provides insight into current local and national economies, addressing topics of interest to the community, region and state. National and local experts will give presentations on issues affecting business, industry, education and government.

It's an experience Hill says will be invaluable to students.

"This is a way to kind of propel them into the business community," he said. "You've spent all these years studying, now is the time for you to really think about getting into that community. This is an open door."

Local job growth

The students met with their WAOT mentors a few weeks ago to get acquainted before the conference. Kayla Bontrager, a senior studying management at the Barton School of Business, was paired with Mis Gaston, mall manager at Towne West Square.

"Before the first meeting, I didn't realize what our economic growth is in Wichita and in Kansas," Bontrager said. "It's really good information about wages, employment, who's going to hire and when."

Westar Energy is sponsoring the Link to Learn program this year. Don Sherman, vice president of Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships with Westar, says the mentorship program correlates with his company's new initiative "Electrify Your Future" in which Westar will partner with area educational institutes to encourage local job creation.

"We are putting on a full-court press to reach out to the youth in our community," said Sherman, who is also serving as a mentor at the conference. "In the next five years or so, 50 percent of our workforce at Westar Energy will be eligible to retire."

This is a trend Hill said is advantageous to Wichita State business graduates.

"In our market, business professionals are what's in the highest demand," Hill said. "That's the fastest-growing sector right now … Potential employees need to fill that baby boom gap."

More demand than expected

The invitation to get involved in WAOT Link to Learn was available to every Barton School of Business student. The 10 who were selected come from a variety of academic areas, including business administration, accounting and international business. Even students with double majors, such as in psychology and Spanish, are in this year's program.

"It's a little telling that students from many different disciplines, not just economics, saw the value in this," Hill said. "And I think that's an encouraging sign for our student population.

Hill says the demand for the program will keep it going in following years.

'Add value to my young career'

Besides help from their mentors, the students will also be surrounded by a wealth of business expertise at the conference. Representatives from Textron Aviation, The Martens Companies, the MIT International Center for Air Transportation, Sprit AeroSystems and more will be in attendance.

Wichita State will also be involved in the conference at the Century II Convention Hall. The university has taken an increasingly prominent role in the area's economic leadership and business innovation. Hill, President John Bardo and Provost and Senior Vice President Tony Vizzini are all scheduled to participate.

Camilo Ramirez De La Barra, a senior studying finance, said he got involved to learn more about professional opportunities in Wichita. Sherman will be his mentor at the conference.

"This gives me the chance to open my network and meet professionals who one way or another will add some value to my young career," he said. "I think this program is of considerable help for every student and gives each one of us more opportunities."

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'Innocent and on death row: a talk by death row exoneree Curtis McCarty'Wed, 24 Sep 2014 09:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2593
Curtis McCarty, exonerated from death row in Oklahoma after nearly 21 years of incarceration.
Donnelly College

For more than 20 years, Curtis McCarty lived a nightmare, and from 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, in Wichita State University's Hubbard Hall, Room 208, he will share his story: "Innocent and on Death Row."

He was barely an adult when it happened – a girl McCarty knew was brutally assaulted and murdered, but when police investigators turned up no leads, they charged him with the crime. The forensic evidence used to convict him was tampered with by a crime lab specialist, a truth that was only discovered after McCary lost two decades of his life to an underground, 9 foot x 9 foot cell.

McCarty uses his experiences to advocate for change in the justice system by sharing his story with school and church groups, the media, legislative settings, rallies and civic and professional organizations. His message is a call for humane and just alternatives to the death penalty. McCarty is one of 146 individuals nationwide who have been exonerated from death row since 1973.

"Innocent and on Death Row: A Talk by Death Row Exoneree Curtis McCarty" is sponsored by the WSU Criminal Justice Student Association and the Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty. The event is free and open to the public.

For a glimpse into the region's economic future, business leaders are turning to Wichita State University during the Wichita Area Economic Outlook Conference, 7:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Century II Convention Hall.

The cost to attend is $115 per person – $135 after Sept. 26.

The purpose of the conference, hosted by the W. Frank Barton School of Business and the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR), is to provide insight into current local and national economies, addressing topics of interest to the community, region and state. A combination of nationally known speakers and local experts will be on hand to provide perspectives on issues affecting business, industry, education and government.

"This event has continued to grow in the last few years," said Jeremy Hill, CEDBR director. "Business and community leaders come out because they are more and more concerned about what is going on in the economy. The conference gives them information on how the economy is improving or acting, locally and in the larger economy."

Last year, CEDBR launched a phone app developed specifically for the conference that provided attendees easy access to the agenda, speaker bios and directions. The app was also equipped with quick access to social media channels, which is an aspect of the conference CEDBR has paid special interest to in this year's planning.

John Bardo

The event includes breakfast as well as speakers from Wichita State, which has taken an increasingly prominent role in the area's economic leadership and business innovation. President John Bardo, Provost Tony Vizzini and Hill, are all scheduled to participate in the conference.

The air transportation portion of the event will include guests William Swelbar, a research engineer with the MIT International Center for Air Transportation, and Lillian Dukes, vice president of Global Customer Support and Services at Spirit AeroSystems. Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist at the National Retail Federation, will be on hand to present the consumer/retail outlook and for the retail panel, along with Slawson Cos. Vice President Jerry Jones and Sasnak Management Corp. President Jon Rolph.

CEDBR's Hill will be on the panel discussing the local economic forecast, along with Steve Martens, president of The Martens Cos., and Justin Salmans, vice president of supply chain management at Textron Aviation.

The local community provides significant support for the Wichita Area Economic Outlook Conference, which is sponsored by real estate firm NAI Martens, The Wichita Eagle's Business Today and many others. The event attracts an annual attendance of nearly 600 participants.

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Live appellate hearings held at CAC Theater for Constitution DayThu, 11 Sep 2014 15:00:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2578
Wichita State University will celebrate Constitution Day 2014 with a visit by the Kansas Court of Appeals from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the CAC Theater. A panel of three judges will hear arguments for six cases in a forum open to the public, honoring the Constitutional Convention of Sept. 17, 1787.

The Court of Appeals is Kansas' intermediate court, empowered to review the decisions of lower courts throughout the state. The court normally handles appeals cases in Topeka, but as part of a 2004 congressional mandate for public institutions, the hearings will take place at Wichita State's CAC Theater this year. WSU also hosted the event in 2011 and 2013.

"Students and members of the public will gain a significant understanding of the inner workings of the state's appellate court," said Ron Matson, interim dean of Wichita State's Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "Observing these activities as they occur surpass traditional classroom lectures or readings on the subject. We are privileged to host the court and look forward to their visit."

All of the cases to be heard at the event are real cases on the court's docket, and most involve rights protected by the Constitution. The cases will be heard consecutively by the court.

Attorneys for five of the cases will be allowed 15 minutes each to present their arguments. The second case, involving the First National Bank of Hutchinson, is particularly complex, and attorneys will be allowed 20 minutes each for presentations. During the hearings, judges will ask questions of the attorneys, and then allow questions about the judicial process from the audience. They will not answer questions specific to any case.

Cases on the docket for Constitution Day are:

State of Kansas v. Donald L. Davis (Sedgwick County), an appeal by in a human trafficking and statutory rape case. Davis was convicted of three counts of aggravated human trafficking and three counts of statutory rape. On three different occasions, Davis had sex with a 13-year-old girl. In addition, Davis took the girl to another man's house three times to have sex with the man. The man paid her for sex, and Davis kept half the money. Davis was sentenced to 25 years in prison. His appeal argues that (1) the jury should have decided the girl's age at the time of the offenses; (2) the district court erred by admitting hearsay evidence of the girl's age; (3) the district court improperly excluded certain evidence, and (4) the aggravated human trafficking statute is unconstitutional.

State of Kansas v. Darren Rhoten (Ford County), an appeal of a DUI conviction on the grounds that the officer who made the stop did not have reasonable suspicion and, as a result, the district court should have suppressed the evidence.

First National Bank of Hutchinson v. United Rentals Northwest, Inc. (Stanton County), a civil action arising from the collapse of a boom crane in November 2006, and lawsuits involving multiple parties.

State of Kansas v. Nelson Glover (Sedgwick County), an appeal of a district court order denying the defendant's motion to withdraw a guilty plea to charges of second-degree murder, aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery.

State of Kansas v. Abigail Reed (Finney County), an appeal accusing the State of illegal sentencing after revoking probation for charges involving indecent solicitation of a child.

State of Kansas v. Anthony H. Martinez (Sedgwick County), an appeal, following sentencing for failure to register under the Kansas Registration Act, on the grounds that the district court erred in classifying the defendant's prior municipal convictions as personal misdemeanors in his criminal history and violated his constitutional rights by failing to have a jury decide his criminal history.

Oral arguments will take an hour break for lunch at 12:30 p.m. Last year, 150 people attended the event. Judges David E. Bruns, G. Joseph Pierron Jr. and Anthony J. Powell will preside over the hearings.

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Critical offices temporarily relocated around campusFri, 25 Jul 2014 10:30:00 CSThttp://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=2534
Because of construction, a number of departments around campus will relocate this summer. Consult the guide below for an updated list of these temporary office locations.